Reviews by ryanocerus:

The dark ruby/near black color and huge caramel head are very inviting. The smell is malt and bread crumbs, but faint. The taste is slight roasted, big malt and slight toffee with a faint hops presence to balance. The mouthfeel is very smooth, but a bit thin. Since this is my favorite, it is hard for me to stay impartial, but this is very drinkable. I had to save this for my mug club entry and I revisit it every chance I get.

More User Reviews:

0.5l serving in a custom branded glass -- basically weissebier style, but with a handle. A pitch black beer with a clumpy tan cream head -- plenty of stick and good retention. Aroma was more or less clean, with a touch of buttery diacetyl poking through.

Fairly malty, earthy, with hints of caramel and a background char flavour. Light on the malt sweetness. Hops lend a touch of sour to the mix and aid in creating a semi-astringent flavour.

Had this at "Conmux" in East Berlin, but also throughout Berlin at various bars and cafes. It's without a doubt one of the more popular Schwarzbiers available in Berlin, and one of the most tasty. It was so nice to see this hard to find and underrated style. Highly drinkable. Highly recommened.

Taste: High smoothness with a deep medium level carbonation, hints of dark bread like a pumpernickel or whole grain is layered thick on the taste buds. Hop bitterness is mild with a bitterness that holds its own for balancing the beer. Mild roasted malt character with hints of carob, chicory and bread crust. Malt sweetness is there but stay to a minimum and does not go to a cloying level at all. Alcohol is meek and barely noticeable, slightly dry finish is doused with a clean graininess and hints of spicy hop.

Notes: I like this beer a lot, not just because this is one of my favourite style but because it keeps it real with flavours that are a bit complex yet not to the point of taking away from actually putting one down if not a few. A damn good pick for the style.

I'm trying this beer at Haxnbauer in Shanghai. It poured a nearly opaque dark with off white head that is leaving a spotty lace. The scent some roast. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink. Hints of chocolate and roast make the beer. The mouthfeel was medium in body with smooth carbonation. Overall it's a solid beer.

AWEEEEEEEEEESOME! My favorite style of beer for sure. The only other Schwarzbier I've had is black forest by Saranac, and this is better in all areas - and that is a great beer. Was really lucky to find a four pack of this for $5.99!!!

16.9 oz. can poured into pilsener
(3/12/2015 born on date; best by 3/12/2016, printed on bottom of can)

L: clear dark brown with lots of amber, pushes up a 3/4-inch head of offwhite/beige foam, no stick; keeps a little collar of beige foam; dark enough that it's hard to see what's going on in the glass, but the clarity is fantastic

T: chocolate ... so dark-malty sweet; some slightly toasted oak wood, far from burnt but there's a little char-wood taste; as the palate adjusts, a nice earthy flavor offers a little balance to the big sweet malt flavor; the back-end wood flavor is like a great jazz drummer, always right on time; boy, that chocolate sweetness is for real ... it shows up in a big way at times and always right up front, leading off a swallow and perfectly setting up that woody/earthy aftertaste ... what a beer!

F: perfect ... lager crisp, light, easy drinking but with enough heft to remind you it's not water

O: this beer is so good; plenty of dark-malt flavors including chocolate and that nicely toasted wood, some balancing earthiness, and the mouthfeel makes me want to drink more and more and more ... I will buy this beer almost as often as I can find it and drink it year-round, for any and all weather and occasion; I've been looking for the ultimate dark-malt session brew, and this is it.

Found covered six-packs of this old import favorite at a local grocer. Six-pack box (and bottle label) says I have 12 days to drink these (06.18.2013) -- let's get at it!

An old favorite import from the pre Microboom® days -- haven't sampled it in a while.

A -- Inky black in color with a dense tan head that holds up well, slowly settling to a firm cap. A flash shined thru my .33L Willi Becker shows ruby highlights, but very opaque.

S -- Aroma is fresh DMS and mild roasted malt with a vague hint of caramel. Pretty light in this category.

T -- Roasted malt character with dark, baking chocolate undertones. Some mild bready notes try to balance the roasted malts with some very light hop spiciness. The finish is all roasted malt, though the bitterness in the finish and aftertaste isn't easy to dissect between hops and highly kilned malts.

M -- Smooth, soft mouthfeel with a dry finish. Light medium body.

O -- This is the king of Schwarzbier. A lager to present to the naysayers who think lagers have no character -- and at such a mild ABV too. As roasty as some Porters and Stouts, but with the clean finish that can only be the result of bottom fermentation and long, cool storage.

This beer is DARK! The only other Schwarzbier I've had was Saranac's Black Forest. This beer is at least as dark, if not darker, than BF. The head is a soft, light beige, with average-sized bubbles; not sticky, but slow to dissipate.

Smell is malty, and not overtly hoppy. I can tell this beer is going to be sweet.

I'm surprised by the taste of this beer. It is deeper than Saranac's, with some chocolatey undertones. Deep, but refreshing. Light with a nice hoppy finish.

Got the bottle at the Fred Meyer's in Issaquah.
Deep Black with ruby highlights. Thin tan head dissipated quickly.
Aroma was very subdued. Some malt backbone, No hop aroma. No DMS or Diacetyl. No fruity esters.
Flavor - touch of chocolately malt flavor without the in-your-face roastiness of a stout. Smooth mild hop bitterness, nicely balanced against the malt. No hop flavor. No fruity esters. Finish is very smooth and somewhat dry. Medium-thin body & mouth feel makes this a thirst quencher.
Overall, this is an incredibly drinkable beer. Nice & malty without the astringent tendencies so often found in the other dark beers.

Dark purple-black, chestnut hewed body with a sticky tan head. Nose is overwhelmingly made up of roasted black malts. Taste is no different. Sweetness is average for style. Little to no hops to speak of. Watery. Thin body with high level of carbonation makes this feel like a black American macro is some respects. Not a good example of the style.

This is a dark, molasses colored beer with a spongey, thin, brown-colored head. I don't get much oder here. The taste is good but simple. Not much going on here just light and sweet caramel malt, metalic notes, and fruity hops. Light fuzzy mouthfeel. Refreshing to be sure, but I'd rather a good 'ol dark lager any day.

This is my first Schwartz ever and I don't quite know what to think about it. The beer looked great, with a dark brown color and great fluffy brown head that stayed thick till the end and left great lace down the glass. The smell was big on earthy scents and grass, with a bit of maltiness thrown in for good measure. The taste was unique, reminded me of a cross between a brown ale and a weak Doppelbock. It had a very earthy flavor to it and I could imagine it being enjoyed much more with a traditional hearty German meal. But on it's own, it did not do too much for me. I will revisit this one for sure next time I cook up some brats!

Poured very dark, head lasted a little longer than most beers this color, aroma was chocolately but thin,first taste was licorice and mochabut also very thin, little bit of chocolate comes in the middle, to spritzy of a tongue feel, and just not a bold enough taste, more of a thirst quencher.